Collecting, Painting and Gaming in the Oldhammer way on this side of the pond.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Collecting Oldhammer Style - The long search for Happiness!

If you are anything like me, then you have lists. Your "Top Ten Dream" figures, predominated by things like the Chicken Dragon, The Citadel Giant, The Dwarf Juggernaut, and others. For some this might include the other dragons, like the Great Spined Dragon, or The Emperor Dragon. and if you get one of these gems, there are always more to fill the list back up!

Then there are the "current needs lists". The items you need for that force you are collecting, That figure in the scenarios that you are preparing, the old school McDeath search, and others. These are the ones you troll on eBay and the trading sites hoping to find them in a job lot or a reasonable deal with a fellow Oldhammerer. Most of these, while not as rare as some others, are very pricey in the real world, and stupendously stupidly priced in the BIN world of eBay. 67 pounds for an infantry sized figure....we all know the type.

And then there are "The Ones". they have been in several catalogs. you know they exist. this is not the Nuln Spearman. These are "regular models". But for some reason, YOU can't find them. Long ago you found it existed, and you even tried to order sleeves through a store. Buying 12 blisters to get your hands on this one figure....only to find out the sleeve you got, didn't have him. Maybe he is rough on the mold, so he is "out of service" a lot. I used to think maybe he was just hard to come by in the states. That if only I had a friend in England, I could have a ton of them.Maybe you finally find one, and he won't sell it to you. Maybe your local store never got more than one, and someone bought it, and every reorder went unfulfilled. But the thing is it isn't supposed to be rare, or limited. But for you it begins to be a quest. For a VERY long time my top little figure that I wanted most was this guy: Shown here in the Citadel Journal Spring 1987 version. He's listed here as Bombost. Thank you for all catalog images from Orclord at Stuff of Legends, And especially thank you since he is currently updating and adding on to this glorious resource!

Now some of you have three of him, or have traded several. Well good for you. That is kinda my point. For me here in the USA, he WAS rare. Here he is in the 1988 Catalog and the 1991 Red Catalog (Part 2 of the 1991 catalogs) known by the number 01 and then Axe 17. Man, you really don't know how long I searched for Axe 17. I did meet Mark in Dayton OH, and he had one....so at least I knew he was "real" in that he existed and was sold. Though, of course, Mark only had one and would not sell him to me. I didn't blame him.....wait, yeah I did!

I even went to work at GW in mid 90's (which is not too long after this article appeared!). The metal room was a collector's dream. But guess what? No Axe 17's to be found! Even when bits was working! I even looked at the metal room in the UK, but whether due to time or mislabeling, I never could find him.

And then, you got White Dwarf 135. And Wayne England not only had multiples in his Longbeard unit, he converted one to be the standard. Oh, how I wanted enough of him so I could do that!

So You have this model you desperately want. and you need more than one!

I did eventually find this guy, if memory serves me I finally found someone willing to part with him back in 97 or 98... (after 10 years or so!) I got one that had been primed white. Blue in Vt helped me get my second one not very long ago, and I am still on the lookout for more! Does anyone know, is there a reason this guy seemed rarer (without the rareness of limited edition stuff)? Are there tons across UK and Europe, and he was only rare in the US? Or was he pretty regular, and only seemed rare to me.

One other thing about this little guy, back in that Citadel journal he was named as Bombost, but on his tab, it actually displays "Bombo". Just so you know.

As many of you know, we recently lost Wayne England. I only got to meet him once long ago, though I believe beer was involved, it was his sense of humor that always stayed with me (even before the beer!). I was lucky enough to get back in touch with him, and that led to us having the Wayne England T-shirts and Prints available at the Second USA Oldhammer Weekend!

I helped sell a modest amount of Prints and Shirts, but even better got to start talking to Wayne. He was even kind enough to send me some original drawings from his Earl series. I know how excited he was to think of them as minis, and he even mentioned sending me some. I was planning on making a 3 part frame, 2 for the artwork he sent me and a small box so I could put the unit on display with the art. Kind of a triptych of design and finished product.

I do hope that someday we will get to see Earl become a reality in metal, but obviously there are a lot more important things.

So I wanted to do something else. My plan is to recreate Wayne's Longbeard unit, and I'll put them in the box to go with the original artwork he was so kind to send me. For many of us Oldhammer's that White Dwarf 135 launched 1000's of dwarf armies around the world. Just check out Bugman's and you are amazed of how many first found their love for Dwarfs after viewing that magazine. The Oldhammer Community has discussed this many times before: See Orlygg's Realm Of Chaos 80s:

So I plan on recreating that unit (with my own poor painting skills) and this is the first Project Blog. So first, I have to figure out how to get a hold of the miniatures, and which ones I need.

And there it is in its glory. One note. I know that Wayne sold this army off to someone. I also know he regretted it. I mean, when I started talking to him, I just had to ask. But he didn't seem to remember who he sold it to (at the time we were chatting at least). So if you know where it is, or who has it, please let us know. I am pretty sure we would all love to get some photos of it and some individual minis. But it would be nice to just know it is safe.

But I tried as best as I could to map out the unit and the models that Wayne used in creating them. Going through the catalogs and flyers and things I came up with the following list. I tried to use the Red Catalog from 1991 (Citadel Miniatures Catalogue Part two), since it is the one most of us froth over. There were a few surprises as well. But here is the list: (here is a pdf so it is clearer)

The first thing that was not a surprise since I have always memorized that guy on the upper left, was my old friend Bombo, and of course, he is there again with the banner! Second the third guy in from the left in the front row.....I couldn't find him. Orclord pointed out he is a known unlisted one shown here on Collecting Citadel Miniatures Wiki! After quite a while of searching it was nice to have Orclord find this, so thanks! The other mystery I had was the one in the back row, fourth from the left. I couldn't see the duck head in any of the catalog pages I had at hand. Blue in Vt confirmed he had one, but I was trying to find him in the catalogs. We did finally find him in the 1988 Catalog on page 308. The rest are scattered across the pages of the Red Catalog. I also had to kinda guess at the guy on the upper right corner, as he is pretty obscured. I think I made a good attempt. If anyone sees any mistakes I made, please get in touch so I can correct it.

I have a ton of dwarfs, though some are painted, and some are partially painted, I don't have too many that are clear, so I am trying to treat myself a little, and buy all new models for the unit. Then I'll get them painted up, and ready for that display.

But anyone have any Axe17's to spare?

Do you or did you have a non-rare/available/released model that you just couldn't find? What was it, did you find one eventually? Still looking? Let us know.

Also - I still am working on the Stuff of Legends Big Game write up from Adepticon. LOTS of pictures to sort out the good ones that show the action....but it is coming!

7 comments:

As you probably know my current "regular Holy Grail" figure is the one Rank and File Marauder Wolf Rider that I just CAN NOT find anywhere...in fact I've never even seen an actual picture of this figure...only the dodgy line drawing from MM32/34 catalog. It took me several years to find the other two riders from the same blister but this guy has just never appeared! Very frustrating!!

Exactly Blue. It is these ones that were supposedly released and not limited but you can not find them ANYWHERE. And yes, I know yours, I've tried to look at all new ones to see if I can find yours....and pretty sure I don't have him. Its like a collecting black hole that affects you.....and you just want to see one - just to make sure it exists! But good luck, I hope we find him soon!

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About Me

Hailing from the arctic tundra otherwise known as Michigan, I
started gaming back in the mists of time. I have been a huge fan of
Warhammer and GW ever since. But frustration mounted as the armies
became too similar - the epiphany hit me at Adepticon a few years ago,
when just about every army looked so similar to mine (was playing Dwarfs
and yes, most were painted better than mine) but all using the same few
bits to make our armies. And I started longing for those long ago
armies where every figure was different, and my army would look nothing
like yours, even if we played the same race! I discovered like minded
people online (but mostly across the pond)- my passion was rekindled by
Oldhammer! Now it is my goal to bring the concepts of Oldhammer to the
masses here in the New World. But if you have ever felt that the passion
and art that was on display in those incredible little statues made by
the legends of our genre was the best of times, come with me and
rediscover that little golden glow when you get that lead in your hand!
If you collect old models, like painting the miniatures, or love gaming
with some of the older rules, join us on our journey of Oldhammer In The
New World!